LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — 13 Action News spoke to the attorney representing Dahsia Maldonado, the mother of 4-year-old Mason Dominguez, who was found dead in the freezer of an east Las Vegas home on Tuesday.
Through her attorney, Stephen Stubbs, Maldonado laid out a timeline of events describing what led up to her son's murder. It begins in January of last year, when Maldonado’s husband (and the father of her two children), Eli Dominguez, died.
Brandon Toseland was a friend of Eli Dominguez. He comforted Maldonado after she lost her husband, and their friendship then turned into a romantic relationship, her attorney says. In March of 2021, Maldonado moved in with Toseland at his home in the 4300 block of Saddle Brook Park Drive in Las Vegas.
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Maldonado's attorney described how Toseland slowly took control over the family, to the point that they were trapped. Eventually, Maldonado says she was locked in a room and separated from her children.
Maldonado last saw her son Mason in early December of 2021. During this time, Maldonado and her 7-year-old daughter Riley were held captive, her attorney says.
At that point, Maldonado says she had no idea where her son was. Police identified the date as Dec. 11, when Maldonado told them Mason became ill. She says Toseland took her son into the master bedroom, barricaded the door, and refused to let her see him.
The attorney says the house was like a "fortress." Toseland had locks, window alarms, motion sensors, and other security protection to prevent Maldonado and her children from escaping.
The attorney says he took over all her accounts and cut communication with her family.
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He says during the captivity, there was never a time when Maldonado could flee with her children. Most of the time, the family was locked in separate rooms.
Whenever Toseland took Maldonado in the car, he handcuffed her to the armrest, even when taking her daughter to school, her attorney says.
On Feb. 20, Maldonado got to have time alone with her daughter for the first time since being held captive, she told her attorney. Maldonado coached the young girl, and eventually gave her a note to take to school and hand to her teacher.
That note started a chain of events that brought police to Toseland's home on Tuesday, Feb. 22, when Maldonado and her daughter were rescued, her attorney said.
She told police she feared her son was dead. They searched the house and found Mason's body inside a freezer in the garage.
Toseland, 33, was arrested and has now been charged with kidnapping and murder.
